The Tesla Model S

Canada’s best selling electric car.

– the Model S received the highest Consumer Reports score ever, 99/100

– Tesla paid back its government loan this year, 9 years early

– in 8 of the wealthiest cities in the US, it outsold everyone, including BMW, Mercedes and Audi. It became the new status symbol car.

It was THE car of 2013, really.

Specs (top model, “Performance” 85 kW-h)

416 hp & 443 lb-ft

0 – 100 in 4.2 sec

210 km/h top speed   

They’re built in Fremont, California, in the recently purchased old GM factory. Which is huge, huge; Tesla only takes up 20% .  The automaker is projected to double their output in 2014, to 40,000+ cars.  It’s also rumoured that Tesla will account for 40% of the world’s Panasonic batteries next year. This amazes me. 

Non-car nerds: this is actually the automaker’s second car. Here’s their first: the Roadster.

Auto-manufactures: – the planet is collectively drooling over this interior, why has no one copied this yet?

Personally, this interior is not for me.

When writing a review, I highlight if a vehicle can be ordered without a screen, so an interior dominated by a 17″ screen is opposite of that.

The best feature in the car.  Bucket seats!

Jalopnik has a great ‘Tesla in 2013’ story.

This was the Tesla Toronto grand opening,
the 13th Tesla dealership worldwide

Tesla’s are sold straight from the manufacturer to the consumer, either online or via one of their dealerships. This new sales model is causing anger and lawsuits from traditional dealerships in the States.

Here’s the blog tag – Tesla.

 

 

A Ton of Teslas Together

15 in a row, that’s rather rare.

Spotted during the grand opening of Tesla Toronto. They’re all owner’s cars that drove in for the party.

The automaker has said they take retail cues from Apple. Looks like it’s working.

 

 

An Accidentally Dramatic Photo

Doesn’t it look like a New York City car chase?

In reality, I’m stopped at a red light beside a tow truck that’s hauling movie cars.

Non-Torontonians – a lot of Hollywood and TV is filmed here, because it’s easy to make Toronto look like anywhere.

 

 

Pump Up Your Fuel Knowledge

 

What’s the difference between 87 and 94 octane, and does it even matter? Yes, big time.

A luxury engine should only be fed premium gas, while conversely, there’s no point in putting it into a base model, the engine isn’t designed to take advantage of it.

Read it online at Autonet.

Favourite line:

Cheap gas in a good engine will make it sluggish, and the engine will vocalize its displeasure by emitting a knocking sound.. you’ll be broadcasting an air of cheapness. 

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